Split window headliner question

[Tony Proasi]

Guys I’m about to tackle installing the headliner in my coupe and have studied all the photos I can find but I can’t figure out the way the headliner should look in the area where the sun visor would mount in the upper A pillar area. Does anyone have any photos of this area?

[Spencer Harris]

...then it was on to actual fitment. The front insert is an ingenius thing,...it's a heavy card stock strip that the wool is sewn to. The card stock inserts into the gap between the roof and the inner roof frame. No glue or anyting,...it just catches on the turn lip of the inner roof frame and wedges itself in. This gives you a solid starting point from which to work backward,...pulling tension as you go. I got the hoops in their general position first. Then you work rearward, trying to get the seams straight, and the puckers out. Not worrying too much about the edges at this point,...mainly working from the center outward, and from the front to the rear...

Tony,
Steve Harrison did a super job documenting his '55 coupe restoration including the headliner and front card insert. I'm not sure what if any differences there are in the split window headliners, but this would be a start. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21404&hilit=headliner&start=180

Couple of photos of the headliner in my 55 coupe below and the applicable section from the 54 shop manual. I can take more closeup/detailed photos if you need them.

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[Tony Proasi]

Spencer,

Thanks I have read that post a couple times but my car has the I roof covered in sections like this photo.(stole from bretts book). What I can’t wrap my mind around is if there was a sewed seam here, folded seam or was it one piece?

[Martin Benade]

As a possible clue VWs used the cardboard method on all four sides of the main roof covering, and then the sides parts (install first) are just glued onto the metal and tucked in above it. VW doesn’t have a piece like that around the rear windshield but that looks like the side parts, to have material glued there too.

[Tony Proasi]

Martin

I agree about the VW headliner. Porsche used the cardboard strip on the front but the sides are tensioned by wire that wrapped around buttons that are welded to the rear fire wall.

Thanks,
Tony

[Martin Benade]

And sideways wires too in the seams?

[Tony Proasi]

Yes sir three bows

[Spencer Harris]

Whew, way too fancy for my skill level! I'm sure you'll figure it out and it will look fantastic, Tony!

[Lee Schlabaugh]

Tony, Here's a couple pics. The piece above the W/S is one piece from one A pillar to the other. The black fabric is a piece of modern headliner about 1/16th inch thick for padding.Get the thinnest you can or it looks wrong. I'll send a pic of the back next. Lee

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[Lee Schlabaugh]

Here's the back. We didn't like the way the C pillar looked with the cut off back corner, so we added a little triangular extention to fill in the area. Call with questions anytime. Lee

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[Spencer Harris]

Here's the back. We didn't like the way the C pillar looked with the cut off back corner, so we added a little triangular extention to fill in the area. Call with questions anytime. Lee

Wow, that looks very tidy Lee! Not your first rodeo?

[Tony Proasi]

Lee

Thank you very much I sent you a message as I lost your number and have a couple more questions.

Spencer,

Thanks for the email it helped immensely